Tradition Day by Day: February 8

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February 8

The one good way

he fear of the Lord is taught, so it has also to be learned. It is a matter of instruction, not of terror. It springs not from our natural timidity but from obedience to the commandments, uprightness of life, and knowledge of the truth.

Our fear of God comes entirely from love, and perfect love brings it to perfection. It is our love for God that makes us listen to his counsels, obey his laws, and trust in his promises.

The ways of the Lord are many even though he himself is the way. He calls himself the way and explains the reason when he says: No one can come to the Father except through me. We must search out the many ways and follow them so as to find through the guidance of many teachers the one good way, the way of eternal life. These ways are found in the law, in the prophets, in the gospels, in the writings of the apostles, and in the different good works we are commanded to perform. If we follow these ways in the fear of God, we shall be blessed.

Hilary of Poitiers

Augustine Day By Day

The Augustinians - St. Thomas of Villanova Province

From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.

HTML text prepared by David P. Steelman